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Espar Airtronic Carbon Build Up Cleaning Process

On the off chance that your Espar Airtronic D2 or D4 heater becomes restricted and fails, due to carbon or soot build up, it is essential to clean your heater for maximum efficiency. In some cases, it is possible to clean the heater without disassembly, by running the heater on high using Kerosene instead of Diesel fuel.

Warranties do not cover the cost of a replacement burner due to carbon build up, unless the buildup was a result of a defective heater or component of the heater. Extreme buildup of carbon in an Espar heater is not a result of normal operations. More often than not, carbon buildup is a sign of an underlying problem. Therefore, it is essential to discover the root cause and correct it, before your heater becomes restricted or fails again. When trying to identify the root of the problem, refer to the troubleshooting guide associated with your specific heater. Also, refer to the installation instructions to ensure that the heater and accessories were properly installed. In some instances, carbon buildup can be too severe, meaning that the heater will need to be replaced. If the real problem with the heater is not found and corrected, cleaning out the heater is only a temporary fix. To check for excessive carbon buildup in a heater, look into the exhaust outlet, with the exhaust pipe fully removed from the unit. If this is difficult to accomplish due to where the heater is installed, a mirror and flashlight can help.

After reviewing the exhaust outlet, another method to check is to inspect the glow pin screen chamber. Look into the inside of the burner as much as possible. If the bottom of the glow pin screen is completely blocked, or partially restricted, it is a good indication that your heater potentially has excessive carbon buildup.

When cleaning out a heater, use extreme caution! Pieces of carbon that come out of the heater will be hot. Make sure that there is nothing on or around the exhaust that is flammable or could be ignited by the carbon particles. Do not look into the exhaust pipe or expose unprotected parts of your body to the exhaust outlet. Technicians who work on cleaning heaters are responsible for ensuring all safety measures are being adhered to prior to starting work, and throughout the process.

Below are the steps required for performing a carbon buildup clean on an Espar Airtronic heater:

Remove glow pin from heater and replace the glow pin screen. Make sure the ventilation hole on the side of the glow pin chamber is clean, and not restricted or plugged. Clean the glow pin screen chamber before inserting the new glow pin screen.

Reassemble heater back to operating condition.

Make sure all sources of ignition are kept a safe distance away from the fuel lines and Kerosene source.

Remove fuel line from inlet side of fuel pump.

Replace this fuel line with a new fuel line that is the appropriate length, and secure one end to the inlet side of the fuel pump. Place the other end of the line into an appropriate container of Kerosene.

Double check to make sure that the fuel lines and fuel container are nowhere near any sources of heat. Make sure that the fuel lines are not touching the exhaust system of the vehicle or heater.

Ensure that the end of the fuel line is securely fastened to the fuel pump, to prevent any air from entering into the fuel system during the process.

Place the Kerosene container away from the air intake or exhaust output of the heater. This will prevent fumes from entering the combustion chamber, and sparks or hot particles from igniting the Kerosene.

Turn on the heater. It may take several attempts to prime the fuel lines.

Adjust the thermostat to the highest temperature set point. If necessary, open the doors of the vehicle to allow cooler air in.

For heaters that have excessive carbon buildup, they may not start using the Kerosene method. They will require to be disassembled and cleaned manually.

Allow heater to run for 25-30 minutes.

Turn heater off after allocated time has passed.

Wait for the heater to complete its cool-down cycle. Once cycle is finished, the fuel line can be removed from the fuel pump and Kerosene container. The Kerosene can now be safely stored away.

Reinstall original fuel line back to the inlet side of the fuel pump.

Heater can now be operated as usual.

For those heaters that are beyond repair and are needing to be replaced, Lubrication Specialists have a wide selection of truck heaters available at affordable prices. Having a reliable heater for those chilly mornings has never been easier than with an Espar heater from Lubrication Specialists!